Jets Off-field

C Nick Mangold, a 7-time Pro Bowler and 2-time First Team All-Pro, has announced that he's officially retires from the NFL. Mangold, 34, was the cornerstone of the Jets' offensive line for 11 years after being drafted at #29 overall in 2006.

Dennis Byrd, a former Jets player, who has inspired so many people following his career ending injury, died in a car accident earlier today. Byrd broke his neck in a terrible collision with his teammate Scott Mersereau. He was initially unable to walk but eventually got back on his feet after extensive physical therapy.

The Jets circus, that we thought had left for Buffalo, is back in town. Starting QB Geno Smith had his jaw fractured in two places earlier today after being sucker punched by LB IK Enemkpali. Smith is expected to be out 6-10 weeks, which means that QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the starter in Week 1.

DT Sheldon Richardson, who was suspended for the first four games of regular season earlier this month, is in the news again. Earlier today he was charged in Missouri with resisting arrest along with a plethora of various other violations for an incident that occurred on July 14.

The annual NFL Team Values list is out and the New York Jets are in the sixth spot, just like a year ago. Woody Johnson's team is valued $1,380M, which is $100M more than a year ago. The profits almost doubled - from $27M a year ago to $52.8M this year. The acquisition of QB Tim Tebow and the subsequent spike in merchanside sales certainly played their roles.

OG Brandon Moore, who spent his entire 10-year career with the New York Jets, has accounced that he's retiring from football one day after agreeing on a 1-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys. The Jets signed Moore in 2002 as an undrafted free agent. He spent that year on the practice squad and also played for the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe. He then played in 3 games in 2003 and started in one before establishing himself as a starter in 2004.

it didn't take long for former Jets special team coach, Mike Westhoff, who plans to become a television analyst, to jump start his future career with an interview about his former employers. Westhoff described the whole Tim Tebow situation as an "absolute mess" while speaking with Miami's WQAM Radio. Tebow, who was supposedly acquired to run the Wildcat offense, turned out to be a huge distraction for the Gang Green and one of many reasons why the team finished the season 6-10.

Earlier today RB Curtis Martin, the Jets' all-time leading rusher, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Martin became the third player who played most and best years of his career for the New York Jets to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, QB Joe Namath and WR Don Maynard being the other two. Martin ran for 14,101 yards over the course of his 11-year career, placing him fourth on the NFL all-time list. He's also one of the only two running backs to start his NFL career with 10 straight 1000-yard seasons.

RB Curtis Martin, who played 8 seasons for the New York Jets, was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier today. In 11 NFL seasons (he also played 3 seasons for the New England Patriots) Martin gained 14,101 rushing yards on 3,518 carries, scoring 90 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 484 passes for 3,329 yards, 10 touchdowns. Martin's 14,101 rushing yards the fourth highest total of rushing yards in NFL history.

According to an AP report, hard-hitting S James Ihedigbo, who mostly played on special teams and is currently a free agent, will not be back with the Jets this season. Ihedigbo has been with the Jets since 2007, when they signed him as an undrafted free agent. He was a key contributor as a backup in Rex Ryan's secondary, setting a career high with 3.0 sacks last season, and was second on the Jets with 27 special teams tackles.

Free agent WR Braylon Edwards will not serve any jail time for violating his probation. Edwards could have been sentenced to up to six month in jail, but instead he will serve 100 hours of community service and receive one year of active probation. Braylon has to report once a month, on the phone or in person and talk to a probation officer.

WR Braylon Edwards appeared in a Manhattan courtroom this morning and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated. He will be fined $500, his license will be suspended for 6 months and he must continue to participate in the NFL's substance abuse program.

NT Kris Jenkins, who was released by the New York Jets following the 2010 season, has announced his retirement earlier today. He was brought in 2008 to be a run-stuffing anchor in the middle of Gang Green’s defensive line. Jenkins was one of the best in the league when healthy, but suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 6 in 2009 and then again in the first week of the 2010 season.

On Sunday the New York Jets will take on their hated division rival, the New England Patriots, with the winner advancing to the AFC Championship Game. If the Jets play like we know they can, there's no doubt that the 9-point underdogs can pull an upset in New England. They certainly can do it if they "Play Like a Jet!"

We've all heard about the alleged voice mails and NSFW pictures that former Jets QB Brett Favre sent to Jenn Sterger, a former sideline reporter for the Jets. Last weekend, Deadspin released a video with several of the alleged texts and pictures, and the NFL has now fast-tracked the investigation of the gridiron legend.

RB LaDainian Tomlinson, who was signed this offseason and thought to be veteran insurance behind second-year player RB Shonn Greene,told ESPN Radio in Dallas he's prepared to compete for the starting job. "They didn't put a label on me at all. They didn't say 'You know what? You're going to be a backup.' They said, 'No, you're going to prove what you can do on the football field,' and that's all I can ask."

Apparently the 4-game suspension wasn't enough for recently acquired WR Santonio Holmes, as he had to be escorted off a plane Thursday night at Pittsburgh International Airport, according to television station WPXI. Investigators said Holmes wasn't arrested but was escorted off the plane for what they call being a "disruptive passenger."

WR Santonio Holmes, who was traded to the New York Jets on Sunday from the Pittsburgh Steelers, will be suspended for the first 4 games of the 2010 season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. The Gang Green acquired the troubled receiver from the Steelers for a 5th round draft pick in the upcoming draft. ESPN 1050 in New York first reported the trade, which Jets owner Woody Johnson publicly confirmed on Monday at the team's camp in Cortland, NY.

It's now official - the New York Jets will be featured on this year's installment of HBO's Hard Knocks reality television series. The series follows a select NFL team through its training camp and provides an in-depth perspective of the team's preparation for the upcoming season. This year's documentary will consist of 5 episodes.

New York Jets FS Kerry Rhodes is not suspected of rape and is not the target of any criminal investigation, a New Jersey prosecutor said yesterday. As it was reported yesterday, a Canadian tourist told the NYPD that she had met two men at a Manhattan club late Friday or early Saturday and had gone with them to Rhodes' home in Morristown, NJ, where she supposedly was raped.

According to The New York Post, Jets FS Kerry Rhodes is being accused of raping a Canadian tourist late Friday or early Saturday in Morristown, NJ where the Jets safety has a town house. The woman told police that she had gone out Friday night with a female friend to a Manhattan nightclub, where they met two men, one of whom was Rhodes, the sources said. The woman did not know who Rhodes was at the time, but her girlfriend did, sources said.

DE Shaun Ellis has been fined $10,000 by the NFL for throwing snow at fans following the team's loss at Seattle on Sunday. Several fans threw snowballs at New York players and staff as they walked off the field after the Seahawks' 13-3 victory. Ellis then walked over to a pile of snow, picked up a large chunk and tossed it into the stands at Qwest Field, appearing to hit at least a few fans. No one was believed to have been injured.

This has been truly a rough week for New York's professional football players. Following Giants WR Plaxico Burress' gun trouble, Jets DE Shaun Ellis was charged over the weekend with possession of marijuana, driving without insurance, and speeding after a highway traffic stop.